Itinerary

Overview for Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

The southern Dalmatian Coast is often referred to as the Jewel of the Adriatic. Discover the fascinating Old Town of Dubrovnik and the enchanting Dalmatian coastline and its islands on this walking holiday in Croatia. The Dubrovnik Coast and Islands walking tour will show you the natural beauty of the old villages in the Konavle region, the Elaphiti islands and the Mljet island national park.

Exploring the Dubrovnik coast and islands on foot offers unique opportunities to experience the stunning landscapes, unspoilt nature, crystal blue sea, medieval towns and cultural heritage that make this region one of the must-see destinations in the world.

Highlights

Itinerary for Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

Day 1: Arrival to Konavle

Arrival in Croatia. Complimentary transfer from Dubrovnik Airport to Konavle in the southern part of the region of Dubrovnik, where you will spend the first two nights. The area offers rolling green hills and vineyards, charming villages and rugged cliffs, stretching above the sea.

Accommodation: Guesthouse Zlatovisce or similar in Konavle Meals for the day: not included Walking distance: none Transfer: Complimentary transfer from Dubrovnik Airport to hotel

Day 2: Konavle

Starting from your accommodation in Konavle, on your first walking day, you will explore the charming trails and villages in the Konavle area. Walk through the village, across the valley, through forests and vineyards all the way to the impressive cliffs, stretching above the sea.Return to the hotel.

Accommodation: Guesthouse Zlatovisce or similar in KonavleMeals: breakfast includedTransfer: no transfersWalking for the day: 18 km, 6 hours ↑550m

Day 3: Dubrovnik

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Dubrovnik Old Town, a beautiful fortified medieval city and UNESCO World Heritage Site. A local English-speaking guide will then accompany you for a two-hour guided tour of the Old Town. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the charms of Dubrovnik.

Accommodation: Hotel Perla, Zagreb or a similar 3-star hotel in DubrovnikMeals: breakfast includedTransfer: 40 minutes (30 km) + luggage transferWalking for the day: 2-hour private tour of Dubrovnik Old Town

Day 4: Island of Šipan

You will set out from the main port of Dubrovnik by local boat to Šipan, the largest of the famous Elafiti islands. The island has rich cultural heritage and is perfect for walking with its vineyards, olive groves and pine forests. You will start your walk from Sudjuradj and head inland all the way up to the other settlement on the island, Luka Šipanska. Historically Šipan was a residential place of Dubrovnik patricians.

If you follow the road from port Sudjuradj along the vineyards and olive trees to the port of the Luka, you will pass by old churches, summer residential palaces, beautiful pine forests, hidden bays. Upon arrival in Luka, you can have lunch in some local tavern. Late afternoon return to the port of Sudjuradj where boat departs to Dubrovnik.

Day 5: Island of Mljet

Mljet, often called “the green island” because of its lush vegetation it is a pearl in the Adriatic and one of the eight Croatian National Parks. As on Šipan, there is a clear blue sea, numerous bays, beaches and cliffs… but also two lovely salt lakes – warm even in early spring.

The day starts with a bus transfer to the port of Dubrovnik, from where you will take a boat to Polace on Mljet. The walking begins at the village of Polace behind ancient remains of a Roman palace dating from the 2nd century and continues through the National Park and around the salt lakes. The walk averages around 3-4 hours, and there is the chance to swim and enjoy lunch at a local tavern before your return to Polace. Overnight in Polace, Mljet.

Day 7: Dubrovnik

Boat transfer to Dubrovnik, where you will have a free day to explore the town. We recommend that you take the Dubrovnik cable car to the top of Srd Hill for breathtaking views of the Old City of Dubrovnik, the crystal clear Adriatic Sea, and the numerous Dalmatian islands.

Accommodation: Hotel Perla, Zagreb or a similar 3-star hotel in DubrovnikMeals: breakfast includedTransfer: Boat transfer from the islandWalking for the day: none

Day 8: Departure or Onward Travel

Hotels for Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

Accommodation is in en-suite double/twin rooms mainly in small, locally-run, 3-star hotels and guesthouses. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.

*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.

Meals

Breakfasts are generally buffets that take your active programme into consideration with a variety of low-fat and high-nutrition choices. Lunches and dinners are on your own but arrangements with accommodation can be made on the spot. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.

Travel for Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

The most convenient airport is Dubrovnik. Complimentary arrival and departure airport transfers are included in the trip price.

Flight information can change rapidly, and not all flights run daily. Please do check directly with the airlines’ websites or Skyscanner before finalising any booking with us. Please do not book your flights before we have confirmed your booking.

Baggage Transfers

On walking days, your luggage is transferred to your following night’s accommodation. Luggage transfer is mostly carried out by us, but sometimes we also use the accommodation provider or a local taxi service. Bags should be ready for collection by 09:30 am and will be at your next overnight stop by 3 pm.

Country Info

Croatia is a Central European and Mediterranean country, bordering Slovenia in the west, Hungary to the north, Serbia in the east and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the south. The state also has a long maritime border with Italy in the Adriatic Sea. Croatia has an unusual shape (similar to a croissant), which comes as a result of five centuries of expansion by the Ottoman empire towards Central Europe (although Croatia was never conquered by the Ottomans).

Croatia has a fantastic 5,800 km of coastline, 4,100 km of which belong to islands, cliffs and reefs. There are 1,200 islands in the Adriatic, but only about 50 are populated. The biggest island is Krk (near Rijeka) which has a land area of 462 square km, while the country’s other well-known islands include Hvar, Brac, Korcula, and Pag.

The local currency in Croatia is the Croatian Kuna (HKR). The best way to carry money is a combination of cash and credit/debit cards. You can then draw cash from ATMs. AThey are available all over Croatia and are the safest and easiest way to access cash. Traveller’s cheques are not widely accepted and attract high rates of commission. Make sure that you change any money that you will need for the day ahead.

Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, post offices, travel agencies, hotels, camps, marinas. Cheques can be cashed in banks. Please note that bank hours are very different from bank hours in the EU. Most banks are open only in the morning from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and a couple of hours in the afternoon. If you need to change money during the tour, we recommend that you look for a bank in the morning.

Trip Info for Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

Difficulty Grade: Easy to Moderate

This trip requires a basic physical condition. It is easy to moderate with a choice of shorter or longer walks on most days. The terrain varies from paved and cobblestone streets (during village exploration) to single-track trails with loose stones or gravel, rocky paths, ancient ruins, and sets of ancient stone steps. The trails are often exposed to the sun (read more about difficulty grades).

Route Navigation

We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.

When to Go

This trip is available from March until November.

Traditionally April/May/June and September/October have always been the most favourite time of year because the weather is best. If you choose to visit during July and August you should be aware that temperatures may be high and make walking slightly more difficult. Please also note that Dubrovnik has become a popular travel destination and may become overcrowded in July and August.

The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your holiday on any date in the season – so please indicate desired starting date when booking.

Weather

The climate in is mild, Mediterranean; there are warm and dry summers and mild and pleasant winters. The average air temperature during the coldest part of the year is 6ºC, and during the warmest 30ºC.

What to Bring

Having the correct personal equipment will make your walking holiday more enjoyable and comfortable. We hope that you find the following suggestions useful when considering what to take on your trip. They are based on personal experiences, and we are confident that you may find other solutions working equally well.

Airport transfers from/to Dubrovnik Airport on Days 1 and 8 (one arrival and one departure transfer per party)

24/7 phone assistance by our local office / representative

Supplements*

Single room supplement: Where individual members of a group require a single room, a single room supplement is applicable

This holiday is available for solo travellers. As transfer and accommodation costs are not shared, a solo traveller supplement is payable

High season supplement: due to the popularity of the area, hotels charge higher rates during the peak months and this is reflected in the tour price

*To calculate the price of the tour for a specific date, including the cost of different options and supplements, please click CHECK AVAILABILITY above, pick your date and number of people. On the next screen you can choose desired options and extras and see the total price of your holiday before you decide whether to submit a booking enquiry.

Extra Costs

Entrance fee to national park Mljet, approx. EUR 12 per person, to be paid on the spot

Options & Extras

Half-board option available instead of standard B&B accommodation

Excluded

Flights and connecting land transfers to first / from last accommodation from airports other than Dubrovnik

Recently returned from a self guided walking tour in the Dubrovnik region. We found the walking very scenic and not too difficult with time spare for further site seeing and exploring. Would recommend this to friends and likely do more walking holidays with Natural Adventure Company. Thanks again.

Oct 3, 2018

by Jane & Gary on Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

The guide in Dubrovnik was superb! Our accommodations were all wonderful, thank you. Transfers were reliable and pleasant. Our highlight was 2 nights on Mljet and the walk around the lake. Beautiful scenery and not many people. We want to thank you for your attention to detail, quick correspondence, and excellent route notes.

Sep 30, 2018

by Jane M on Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

Our favorite part was in Mljet and walking around the lake. Beautiful with very few people. [...]Pay to upgrade accommodations as ours were superb. [...] Transfers all were great. Local rep in Dubrovnik was fabulous.

Jun 24, 2018

by David H on Dubrovnik Coast and Islands

I really enjoyed the trip. Hosts were very friendly. Drivers were professional and friendly. Nico at our first stay was very accommodating, obtaining rentals bikes, driving us to dinner, extra pick up from the airport, etc. [...] Guide in Dubrovnic was fascinating. Hotel in Dubrovnic was older but clean. Street noise but had AC so window could stay shut. Restaurant staff helpful. Breakfast was cooked to order and very good. The pension on Mjet was delightful. The room was fine but the grounds, terrace, view etc were perfect. Better than staying at Pomena or on a boat. Loved the walk around the saltwater lakes.